April 20, 2023 – Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages increases the chance of heart problems and death in individuals with type 2 diabetes, but switching to coffee, tea or low-fat milk could reduce these risks.
This is the results of a recent US study wherein Researchers examined data from nearly 15,500 individuals with type 2 diabetes from two large studies. They found that those that drank essentially the most sugary drinks had a 20% increased risk of death from any cause (“death from all causes”) and a 25% higher risk of heart problems, compared with those that drank the least amounts of those products.
Research, publishedIn The BMJ on Wednesday, also showed that consumption of coffee, tea, still water and low-fat milk reduced the chance of overall mortality and that switching from sugar-sweetened beverages to those beverages reduced mortality.
“Overall, these results provide additional evidence that underscores the importance of beverage selection in maintaining overall health in adults with diabetes,” wrote the lead creator The MA PhD, from the Department of Nutrition on the TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University in Boston, and colleagues.
Drink alternative is essential; diabetes doesn't mean you've got to provide up restrictions
Nita Forouhi, MD, PhDfrom the School of Clinical Medicine on the University of Cambridge within the UK, nonetheless, warned that despite the large-scale evaluation, the outcomes “cannot be considered cause and effect”.
In addition, questions remain unanswered, equivalent to the impact of beverage consumption on the chance of coronary heart disease, stroke risk and cancer mortality. The current study provides “inconclusive” data on the latter.
There are also no data on the addition of sugar to tea or coffee, “so the comparable health effects of unsweetened and sweetened hot drinks remain unclear,” Forouhi points out. It can be unknown whether the form of tea consumed has an influence.
Despite these and other reservations, she says that overall, “it clearly depends on the choice of drink.”
“The arguments for avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages are compelling and are supported by various tax measures in more than 45 countries. It makes sense to focus on beverages that are most likely to have a positive impact on health: coffee, tea, still water and low-fat milk.”
Best drinks for individuals with type 2 diabetes
It is estimated that there have been 537 million adults worldwide with type 2 diabetes in 2021. This number is anticipated to rise to 783 million by 2045. the authors of the paper.
People with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of heart problems and lots of other health problems, in addition to an increased risk of premature death. Dietary changes can play a crucial role in managing these risks.
Recommendations concerning the healthiest beverages are largely based on evidence from the overall population. There is restricted data on one of the best options for adults with type 2 diabetes, whose metabolism is altered, the researchers indicate.